134: Transactions. — Botany. 



tree-forms and grassy meadows, described by Schimper {loc. 

 cit., p. 176) has here, in the lower regions, resulted in a 

 complete victory for the trees, which cover with a dense 

 black mass the basal portions of the mountains. In the 

 east, on the contrary, the grasses have vanquished, and tus- 

 sock meadows rule supreme. The western may be divided 

 into similar subregions to the eastern region, with much the 

 same limitations as regards altitude that have been proposed 

 for the latter. They are, however, only two in number, if we 

 omit for the present certain grassy river-flats (since no part 

 of this region descends much below 762 m.) — viz., the sub- 

 alpine region and the alpine region ; — 



(1.) The Subalpine Eegion : This occupies all the eastern 

 slopes of the _ Dividing-range below a height of 1,220 m., and 

 has its lower limit at the line of the average north-west 

 rainfall. It includes the following plant-formations : — 



Nearly all these formations will be subdivided into minor 

 formations, &c., and there are some others which will receive 

 attention. 



(2.) The Alpine Eegion : Here the snow certainly lies 

 longer and the snowfall is greater than in the eastern alpine 

 region. It extends from the upper limit of the subalpine 

 region to the mountain summits, if below the snow-line, or 

 to the glaciers and the perpetual snow. According to Haast 

 the glacier at the head of the White Eiver descends to 

 1,300 m. with its terminal face, and that up the Crow Eiver 

 to 1,372 m. (loc. cit., pp. 147, 148). Many of the plants are 

 the same as those of the eastern alpine region, b^t these 

 usually when truly eastern are few in numbers — e.g., the very 

 common Cebnisia spectahilis of the east is here rare and local. 

 The plant-formations will be given the same names as those 

 of the east, for the most part, and so need not be enumerated 

 until treated of in detail. 



At various places on the dividing-range are low passes, in 

 height from 908 m. to about 1,200 m. In such places the 

 ground is usually flat, well watered, and in places swampy. 



